Lakers, Nets Reportedly to Play in 2019 NBA China Games

The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets will play in NBA China Games 2019, according to Fang Yuan of ESPN.

The NBA China Games are a two-game preseason series that takes place in October. The exact dates for the 2019 contests have not been announced.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks played in this season's NBA China Games, while the defending champion Golden State Warriors faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2017.

The games began in 2004 when Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets played the Sacramento Kings for a pair of matchups. Houston drafted Yao, who is from Shanghai, first overall in 2002.

Although the series began 15 years ago, the Washington Bullets (now Wizards) were the NBA's first representatives in China. Per NBA.com, the Bullets, who won the 1978 NBA Finals, beat the August 1 Army Team and Shanghai. The latter team featured Yao Zhiyuan, who is Yao Ming's father.

The NBA is a little more popular in 2019, with the game now having a worldwide following thanks in part to an influx of international superstars like Yao.

The game's biggest star, LeBron James, will now head to China alongside his Lakers teammates. Los Angeles' only other appearance in the NBA China Games occurred in 2013. The Nets went to China the following year.